All Areas Accessed - Sequel to Access All Areas

Chapter Two

"I'm all yours now!" My charm is thickly spread all over the journalist Clara Thorn, and judging by the tight smile that she has just so forcefully made herself do in my direction, I think I am going to need another layer of that thick charm of mine.

"Great." She just as forcefully makes herself say to me, but her whole demeanour is conveying that her having to interview me is anything but great.

It kind of amuses me that she's trying so damn hard to be nice, when I know that somewhere inside of her pretty little head, she just thinks that I'm a total douche—a douche who just sleeps with anything that moves. "Shall we go out on the balcony?" Although I am used to having an audience, I don't need Cam and everyone else to watch me trying to win over my icy interviewer. So without even waiting for Clara Thorn's answer, I am already heading out towards the balcony. There, we will at least have a little privacy. She can do her interview, while I try to work out why it bothers me so much that this Thorn gal keeps looking at me with such disappointment.

Looking over the balcony, Clara can't help but enjoy what she sees. "What a beautiful view." Her eyes widen as they soak up the sight of London, the evening sight that panoramically stretches out as far as her joyous eyes can see.

Trying to sound just as enthralled as she does, I nod. "Not bad." Obviously failing to do just that in an epic fail way.

Astounded, Clara nudges against me with an unimpressed smile. "Not bad?"

When she looks at me like that, I only want to wipe away her disappointment in me. Why? I don't know. But for some unknown reason, that is how this journalist makes me feel. Feeling the need to explain, I try to with a soft chuckle. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just I've seen a lot of cities. I've seen a lot of places. I guess you could say that I've become immune to the beauty of the world." Which is absolutely true. I travel the world. I do interviews and concerts in so many different places. And yet, I don't get to enjoy any of those places. All I see is the inside of different aeroplanes and different hotel rooms.

Clara listens intently, before pulling a dictaphone from out of her pocket. "Okay, this is the perfect time to answer one of my questions."

With a smile, I lean back against the ornate stone balcony, mirroring the way that Clara had just leant against it. "Ask away."

"Where is the one place in the world that you feel truly relaxed? Somewhere that you feel like you can just be yourself."

Her first question is an easy one to answer. "A couple of years ago, I bought myself a cabin on Echo Lakes in California. I go there to unwind. It's my peaceful escape from reality. I fish there. Go for long walks around the lakes and in the mountains. The solitude kind of centres me again, if you know what I mean?" Talking about Echo Lakes, makes me want to be there right now. As my eyes move from where they looked out at nothing, and back onto Clara, it is then that I see her expression upon me, softening. Her icy demeanour is slowly beginning to thaw.

"In your world, I guess you do need some time to centre yourself again. We all do at times, but you especially." Yeah, she is definitely thawing out before my very eyes, so much so, she needs to look away from me and back out to lit up London.

I have no doubt of Clara's professionalism, but feel that I need to remind her of the confidentiality about what I've just told her. "By the way, you can print I have a cabin...just don't say where it is." To not come across as a total douche-diva, I flash her one of my special Rhys Ryan smiles. "Otherwise I'll be having the fans tracking me down there." Ah, my crazy devoted fans! They really would track me down at Echo Lakes, if given the knowledge.